Russia proposes visa-free regime with India, Vietnam, and Iran

Russia’s Federal Tourism Agency proposes to introduce mutual visa-free group tourist exchanges with India, Vietnam, and Iran, the head of the agency Oleg Safonov said in an interview with TASS on Thursday.

This mechanism already applies to China. A relevant intergovernmental agreement on visa-free tourist travel within organized groups of tourists (via travel agencies) between Russia and China was signed in 2000.

“We offer to use the same mechanism (as with China) in our cooperation with India and Iran,” Mr Safonov said, adding that this mechanism would also be attractive in cooperation with Vietnam.

According to the agency visa-free mechanism will boost tourist exchange between the countries as it works now with China.

“This is a really good mechanism, that has proved its effectiveness,” he said.